10 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY fBCLL. 57 



death. The adulterer was led mto the courtyard of the chief's house, 

 where all had assembled, and after bemg tied to a stake, was turned 

 over to the mercies of the outraged husband, who either pardoned 

 him or crushed his head with a heavy rock. As for the guilty woman, 

 her infamy was deemed sufficient punishment for her, though usually 

 her husband abandoned her. 



The Maya were a very hospitable people, always offering food and 

 drink to the stranger within their gates, and sharing with him to the 

 last crumb. They were much given to conviviality, particularly the 

 lords, who frequently entertained one another with elaborate feasts, 

 accompanied by music and dancing, expendhig at times on a smgle 

 occasion the proceeds of many days' accumulation. They usually 

 sat down to eat by twos or fours. The meal, which consisted of 

 vegetable stews, roast meats, com cakes, and cocoa (to mention only 

 a few of the viands) was spread upon mats laid on the ground. After 

 the repast was finished beautiful young girls acting as cupbearers 

 passed among the guests, plying them industriously with wine until 

 all were drunk. Before departing each guest was presented with a 

 handsome vase and pedestal, with a cloth cover therefor. At these 

 orgies drinking was frequently carried to such excess that the wives 

 of the guests were obliged to come for their besotted husbands and 

 drag them home. Each of the guests at such a banquet was required 

 to give one in return, and not even death could stay the pajnnent of 

 a debt of this kind, smce the obligation descended to the recipient's 

 heirs. The poor entertained less lavishly, as became their means. 

 Guests at the humbler feasts, moreover, were not obliged to return 

 them in kind. 



The chief amusements of the Maya were comedies and dances, in 

 both of which they exhibited much skill and ingenuity. There was 

 a variety of musical instruments — drums of several kinds, rattles, 

 reed flutes, wooden horns, and bone whistles. Their music is 

 described as having been sad, owing perhaps to the melancholy sound 

 of the instruments which produced it. 



The frequent wars which darken the final pages of Maya history 

 doulftless developed the miUtary organization to a high degree of 

 efficiency. At the head of the army stood two generals, one hereditary 

 and the other elective (nacon), the latter serving for three years. In 

 each village throughout the country certain men (holcanes) were 

 chosen to act as soldiers; these constituted a Idnd of a standing army, 

 thoroughly trained in the art of war. They were supported by the 

 community, and in times of peace caused much disturbance, con- 

 tinuing the tumult of war after war had ceased. In times of great 

 stress when it became necessary to call on aU able-bodied men for 

 military service, the holcanos mustered all those available in their 

 respective districts and trained them in the use of arms. There were 

 but few weapons: Wooden bows strung with hemp cords, and arrows 



